Apush --
Please read the above selection from Voices of Freedom (VoF) and then answer the following questions. Please remember to use supporting evidence from the text in your response.
1. What do you think Las Casas hoped to accomplish by writing so critically about Spanish treatment of the Indians?
2. Why do you think, after describing illness and starvation among the Indians, does Las Casas write, "this was their freedom, the good treatment and the Christianity that Indians received?"
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Best -- always,
Mr. B
1.) i believe that las Casas hoped to bring light to what happened to the Spanish so that it won’t happen to anybody else. By him doing this he freed his indian slaves an started talking against the cruelty and the injustices of the Spanish rule. In the book it states that “Las Casas took part in the exploitation of Indian labor on Hispaniola and Cuba. But in 1514 , he freed his Indian slaves and began to preach against the injustices of Spanish rule.” Which to me means that he didn’t want to be apart of breaking his people anymore , he wanted to change it and stop it from happening but the power of one is not enough power of all.
ReplyDelete2.) i believe Las Casas put it in that regard to form a type of sarcasm for the readers to know that this is the treat you got when you were away from your families for 8 months and didn’t get to see them as much as you wanted but only on occasions. You worked hard to get treated like you was worth nothing , like you could’ve replaced at any given time. Thinking that you were working for yourself and your family, when in actuality you were working just for the man. Seeing and experiencing is different and can leave you in a mindset of not knowing anything and making you feel like you not worth anything. In the book it states that” i sometimes came upon dead bodies on my way , upon others who were grasping and moaning in their death agony, repeating “hungry hungry”. This just shows that they didn’t have any respect for them. They paid them little and fed them none , but that was their freedom, how?
1. Las Casas hoped to free the Indian by bringing attention to how the Indians were mistreated and enslaved by the Spanish. The book states that Las Casas took part in the exploitation of the Indian labor on Hispaniola and Cuba. Las Casas told how they would endure beatings if the claim to be ill. Las Casas went on to explain how some would get paid 3 maravedís a day, some would get less. And with that they wood buy a comb, mirror, and glass beads. They also had to share a tiny portion of what is left over of the pig because the minero would take more than half for him.
ReplyDelete2. I think Las Casas wrote that line because after all the torture they have been through they can finally rest. Although they may have died they do not have to put up with the scarce food and long months away from home. They do not have to work for anyone anymore. They are finally free of who ever had them in those terrible conditions and away from home. He could have also said it in a sarcastic tone because of the mistreatments they have endure while living. The 8 months away from home just to get 3 maravedís to be able to buy a comb,mirror, and glass beads. Only to be give a portion of meat the size of a walnut per individual.
In my opinion, Las Casas wrote about the mistreatment of Indians by the Spanish because of guilt. He hoped to stop the exploitation of Indians, or at least document their mistreatment.Since he is writing from the point of view of someone who took part in the exploitation of Indian labor on Hispaniola and Cuba. He then freed his slaves in 1514, then wrote critically about the many methods in which Indians were abused, and broken down. I don’t think he hoped to stop the abuse of Indians, but rather to shine a light on what's happening to raise awareness.
ReplyDelete2) It was one part guilt and sarcasm. Indians work extreme and harsh jobs. They were forced to work in impossible condition continuously, for months at a time. They were only rewarded paid 3 maravedís a day, Some Indians even received less. There treatment was downright disgusting. They didn’t have enough to feed themselves, and would go starving many times, because they were only supplied carcasses of meat, the scraps. When he said this was their freedom, he displayed his guilt: Since he was a Slave Master of types. He wanted to say that they were freed from their never ending bondage, and as such gained freedom in heaven. The good treatment and christanity that Indians received, was purely sarcastic. He wants to display the hypocrisy that most exploitation of Indians were done by Christians, but they treated gods creature like dirt. They tortured and abused them, you must be treated like you treat others, and they did the Indians dirty.
1. Las Casas Advocated for the Indian people to be free due to the injustice that was brought upon them. He wanted to spread awareness to society about the mistreatment and hardships the Indian people faced from first person. In voices of freedom, las cases mentions the labor the Indians were forced to do, being paid barely anything in horrible conditions. He also mentions that the Indians were allowed to go back home for a few days on a journey that took 8 months. If they even arrived home, it states “ they often found it deserted and had no other recourse than to go out into the woods to find food and to die” (p.9)... :(
ReplyDelete2. When Las Casas wrote that statement, it was written with strong since of sarcasm. In no way did the Indians receive good treatment, freedom or even hint of Christianity! In the book it states multiple examples of the mistreatment they received and were dehumanized as individuals. The mistreatment consist of being tied up to rope, being fed portions the size of a walnut and being beaten when the Spaniards felt as though they were useless. Some of the Indians even decided to continue to work just to appease their raging hunger and escape from their lives which were taken from them! Being taken into slavery is a THEFT to ones life itself, in which we were brought here by the almighty to live life to the fullest and coexist with everyone’s differences.
1. Las Casas wrote critically about this subject to inform people on how poorly some human beings were being treated just to survive in the world. When people are informed about the negative ways others have been affected change is sought out. In order to make change in a more positive direction you first need to know where the negative direction is so you don't take that route.
ReplyDelete2. The illness and starvation in my eyes was the freedom because they were going to die soon after. When they do die their soul is at peace and they are no longer suffering the lives that they had to live. Life was so bad for them that the only way that they could have peace and freedom was once they died.
I believe the Las Casas were trying to show and shed light on their situation. He was trying show the readers the hardships the Indians went through. They want us to be aware of the situation so For anybody who reads know what exactly what those people.
ReplyDeleteI think the las Casas meant it in a sarcastic way. The Indians went through terrible conditions and many of them died and I feel as though when they died was the only time they got their freedom. They were malnourished to the point they died from starvation. The “freedom” the Las Casas referred to never existed and when you died you were easily replaced. They didn’t received any kind of good treatment.
1) What Las Casas hoped to accomplish by writing so critically about Spanish treatment of the Indians was bring light onto the fact that Spain was responsible for causing the deaths of millions of innocent people.
ReplyDelete2) After describing illness and starvation among the Indians, Las Casas writes "this was their freedom, the good treatment and the Christianity that Indians received?” in a sarcastic tone. After all they endured in Spain it’s safe to say not one Indian received “good treatment” or truly had any real freedom.
Kelly Leach
ReplyDelete1. What do you think Las Casas hoped to accomplish by writing so critically about Spanish treatment of the Indians?
I think Las Casas hoped to accomplish people awareness and knowlege of what was really happening in the island. Plus how the "good Spanish Christians" treated the Indians.
2. Why do you think, after describing illness and starvation among the Indians, does Las Casas write, "this was their freedom, the good treatment and the Christianity that Indians received?"
I think Las Casas wrote it in an sarcastic way. How the Spanish came to the Indians' island with "good intentions" and how they claimed to be good people yet they are treating the Indians like trash. Like the Indians were not even human to them. They came to the island that was not theirs, took advantage of the Natives and basically stole there land and making them work on it for almost free.
1. What do you think Las Casas hoped to accomplish by writing so critically about Spanish treatment of the Indians?
ReplyDeleteLas Casas wrote about this issue quite descriptively because he was trying to advocate the harsh treatment the Indians were receiving from the Spanish. He describes the Indians working hard everyday for gold but they then have to turn in all the gold to king barley leaving them any compensation in return.
2. Why do you think, after describing illness and starvation among the Indians, does Las Casas write, "this was their freedom, the good treatment and the Christianity that Indians received?"
Being sarcastic is understatement because he feels so much remorse for these people who have done nothing but breathe. Then apparently all this hellfire is making the Indians become poor, unfortunate souls. He's throwing shade toward his people saying that they are taking away the Indians liberty, making work in harsh conditions. That causes them to be desperate and do anything for compensation. So Las Casas has to keep spreading the word with his writing so more people could stop this crisis.
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ReplyDelete1. I believe that Las Casas hoped to accomplish by writing such critically about Spanish was to gives readers attention and to shed light onto the negative impacts that are happening to the Indians. Casas told how they would receive beatings for claiming to become ill. Even though the Indians went thru a terrible situation they were at true peace when they were kilt
ReplyDelete2. It was a form of sarcasm because they made the Indians do very unfree and cruel work and they thought by giving them a chance of 'freedom' was such a noble "Christin" thing. Plus no Indians truly received "good treatment" or any real freedom. Casas basically implied that since no form of freedom was never given or even existed and once you die it wouldn't be remembered you was just be replaced.
1. Las Casas hoped to accomplish a sense of awareness brought to this problem that the Indians were enslaved and had struggles that people needed to sympathize for so that they would be able to gain their freedom.
ReplyDelete2. I think Las Casas was saying this because to the Indians, this is all they knew, they only knew how to beg and suffer and in a sense, there is a bit of sarcasm coming into to play with the use of positive connotations in a negative setting.
~ Azaria Monteforte
Delete1. I think that Las Casas hope was to bring awareness to the cruelty and treatment of the Indians, so that people are able to know and being willing to make a change or be aware of history. In the text Las Casas states, “ I believe the above clearly demonstrates that the Indians were totally deprived of their freedom...”
ReplyDelete2. I think that Las Casas did this because he wants to show that the cause of the Spanish thinking they were providing something good to the Indians such as freedom and religion, in actually only they were causing more damage than good. Las Casas says, “This was the freedom, good treatment and the Christianity that Indians received.”
ReplyDelete1. What do you think Las Casas hoped to accomplish by writing so critically about Spanish treatment of the Indians?
I think the motivation behind Las Casas's critical writing was to inform and educate the public on the cruel Spanish treatment of the Indians. Las Casas's once was one of these oppressors he now shames. It states '' Las Casas took part in the explosion of Indian Labor on Hispaniola and Cuba. But in 1514, he freed his Indian slaves and began to preach against the injustices of Spanish rule''. Although Las Casas once to harmed the Indians, his own people, he turned a new leaf. He realized that what he was doing was wrong, put a stop to his own actions, and now exploits those who do maltreat these innocent people.
1.) I believe what Las Casas hoped to accomplish by writing so critically about Spanish treatment of the Indians was trying to show the audience how mistreated the Indians were. Also for future reference, to not make the same mistake moving on.
ReplyDelete2.) After describing illness and starvation among the Indians, Las Casas writes “ this was their freedom, the good treatment and the Christianity that Indians received?” In a sarcastic sense. After everything that happened in Spain it turned out that no Indians received “ good treatment “ nor had the real experience of freedom. They died from starvation, gone like they never existed, being easily replaced, same process over again. They were put in positions where they felt that they weren’t worth anything. They were shown NO respect.
2. Why do you think, after describing illness and starvation among the Indians, does Las Casas write, "this was their freedom, the good treatment and the Christianity that Indians received?"
ReplyDeleteI think that Las Casas was speaking in a sneering way, mocking the Indians and down playing there pain. I also believe Las Casas was making apparent that it could've been worse, that the Indians could have endured so much more pain. The story states ''When they fell ill, which was very frequently because they were delicate people unaccustomed to such work, the Spaniards called them lazy dogs and kicked and beat them and when illness was apparent they sent them home useless. I come upon dead bodies on my way, and upon others who were gasping and moaning in their death, agony, repeating 'Hungry ,hungry'.'' I think Las Casas writes this story in this order on purpose to say and this was considered freedom, almost like they should be grateful for this treatment.
1.Las Casas purpose for writing about the treatment of Indians in Spain because he wants to bring awareness to the mistreatments the Indians were receiving. On page 8, it says that the call him the Apostle. To be someone’s Apostle you have to preach about them nls their life 24/7.
ReplyDelete2.Las Casas wrote that statement to be sarcastic but honest. Throughout the story we learn the hardship the Indians had to go through. Las Casas never says anything on it until the end when he says this, I believe it was his way of saying how he truly felt.
1. In my opinion , by writing such critically about Spanish Las Casas wanted to raise awareness to the harsh treatment given to the Indians. Casas mainly focused on the punishment given to the Indians. On the other hand I don’t believe he really had a sense of heart for them when in fact he had his own slaves of Indian descent. In some way I feel as though he wrote this due to the guilt he inquired over the years due to him holding his own slaves.
ReplyDelete2) This statement was sarcasm. The Indians were put in extreme and harsh working conditions. Poor work conditions lasted months on in for them. Casa wanted to shine light on the fact that the slaves were free of enslavement and in light of their death gained freedom in heaven. The “good treatment and christianity” that Indians received was definitely sarcastic.